Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

A LONG STORY

Seven months of difficult tasks required to reach the final goal which was my hip replacement. It was not all easy and yet I seem to get through the difficult parts ok. Suddenly Monday afternoon I was hit with the most difficult ordeal of the entire time. 

Friday afternoon I made a decision to stop my pain medications cold turkey. It was a delight to have no problems with this. I enjoyed a wonderful Saturday and delightful Sunday including church for the first time in ages and then a delightful Monday returning to the Senior Center to see my friends and even play a game of chicken foot. After the center I went to the church office to try to catch up on some of my responsibilities as finance chair person. 

Suddenly I began to feel ill and needed to rush home. I was barely in the door and I was suddenly hit with the most horrible experience of my entire life. Everything underneath every inch of skin on my body began to shake and quiver. It was not a cold chill and no amount of wrapping myself in blankets could make the feeling go away. Walking seem to be the most comfortable thing to do and so I began to walk and walk yet I was very weary and simply wanted to sleep but there was no sleeping to come to me.

My daughter called to check on me and I began to share this terrible story of agony. She called a nurse and as we actually knew before the call I was experiencing drug withdrawal. I had taken some other meds and needed to wait before I could take my prescription pain pills. It was advised that I start my pain meds over and began a slow methodical withdrawal which is what my surgeon had recommended in the first place. 

Within two and a half hours of taking another pain pill the shaky, itchy feeling was gone but I was totally wiped out and still could not sleep. I could only cry. Which I did for almost the next 24 hours. I had been on these pain medications longer than just after the surgery. I had been on these pain medications for a little over 7 months to battle the hip pain before we got to the hip replacement. I do not know why I thought I could quit this cold turkey but I wanted to drive so badly that I gave it a try. 

Still weak I am starting to move forward. I have shared positive stories and have made this last 7 months look almost easy but none of it has really been easy. The weight loss the repeated shots the ever-increasing hip pain and now this final blow has left me very humble and very ready to admit that anyone going through this, no matter how well they say they are doing, is suffering a lot and needs a great deal of understanding. I have been blessed with the most wonderful family who has seen me through this but there are people out there that are not so fortunate. Look for them and lend them your support in any way you can and for goodness sake don't let them try to withdraw from their pain meds cold turkey. 

My heart is going out this day to all persons addicted to drugs with an understanding of why they cannot break such a horrible habit.

25 comments:

  1. You have tremendous strength and a great heart. You will overcome this latest challenge! I am so, so sorry that you have to go through this but you will get through this. You always do! Sending our love and strength! (Rob)

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  2. I'm glad to have you back. Come off the drugs slowly. It seems as if that process should be as much a part of the medical process as everything leading up to the hip replacement.

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  3. aww sweetums.. so sorry you had to experience this. just tale it slow and let the natural healing progress..

    love you bunches~!

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  4. certain pain meds must be stopped slowly (cortisone types) others are okay...sorry you had that experience...it is never easy and we always want to get better quicker - i am still learning patience

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  5. You are not alone in this. In my line of work I see patients in their 80's that are addicted to pain killers. I think of one lady in particular that would go into a rage if she did not get her Oxycontin. They, like you, were not bad people. That is the image we get when we talk about addiction. Anyone can be addicted and coming off is almost impossible without support systems in place.
    Kudos to you for writing this very brave post. Please keep us posted.

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  6. I am so very sorry that you went through this - and love your compassionate response. I so hope that the staged withdrawal works well for you. Cyber hugs.

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  7. I'm no expert on this but I thought that will all medication it's a case of not stopping altogether but just cutting back quantities slowly? Anyway, it sounds awful and very scary, I hope your able to wean yourself off them overtime.

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  8. Oh my goodness!!! That is so scary - but I could see that happening. So glad you are feeling better though - I might have done the same thing - taking yourself off the pain meds. I hope it all goes better now. Hugs!!

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  9. So sorry you had this frightening experience and I am glad you called someone. You always need another outside voice when you are so ill. I knew right away what had happened...not from experience, but from reading. It COULD have been something else, so good that you got professional advice. You are on the easier side of this so I am sure your pain will go away and you will be back to a more regular exercise program. NOT walking forever. This is becoming more common surgery as we all live longer and the majority are better for the experience. Now that I have a friend beginning this process I can be more sympathetic and realize she may not be sharing everything.

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  10. This was a brave and informative post. I am sure there are folks out there relying on pain meds due to life altering pains. You have been on them a long time and I hope the doctor has given you a safe withdrawal timetable. The good thing is that before the symptoms attacked you, you realized that you no longer needed them for pain. The pain part is gone. Amen. Go slow and get your life back.
    This has been a long ordeal for you and I hope your slow withdrawal goes smoothly. You are due for some easy times.

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  11. Bless your heart! I am so sorry you experienced this but I sure am glad your daughter called when she did. Please take care of yourself. I have heard this is just an ordeal that takes time for recovery. I know you are used to being very active and you will get there again. Wish I could come play chicken foot with you! Be good to yourself!

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  12. You know the saying..."never judge until you walked a mile in someone else's shoes". How easily we forget. Glad you are doing better:)

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  13. You poor kid! That must be so tough...hugs. And how sweet of you to be compassionate for other people who didn't find pain pills through surgery.

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  14. You are one tough ol broad, you will get through this I am sure. Understanding the problem is a big part of getting beyond it. Hugs your way, and prayers too!

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  15. As soon as I read the sentence about quitting the pain meds cold turkey I knew what was going to follow. When I worked at an internist's office, we saw it happen often. I hope the doctor monitors you as undergo the process of weaning yourself off those meds. Just take it slow. I'm glad you have a supportive family to help you.

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  16. Sorry...I'm only catching up on this post now, Annie...I'm running a little behind time.

    Wow! That would've give you a hell of a fright, that's for sure. Don't rush things...take your recovery one step at a time (I mean no pun)...pace yourself. You obviously have a strong, generous network of good folk around you to help you along the way.

    Take care...hugs. :)

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  17. So hard. But how lucky you are to have people who care.

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  18. Wow. Saying that this was the worst experience of your life is saying a lot, because you've been through a lot! I have never experienced withdrawal from medication, but I have had some pretty nasty adverse reactions to medications, and know how all-consuming they can be. Isn't it crazy how a tiny little pill can seem to affect every system in your body? Yikes. I'm sorry to hear that you went through such an awful experience. Take it easy on yourself. Hopefully you can rest up, taper off the meds gradually, and then go on to enjoy the mobility of your new hip. :-) <3

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  19. Withdrawal from seriously strong drugs is always nasty. My son was on very strong narcotics (Level 3, where you need a fresh new script for each refill and the doctor can't fax it and you have to go to the office and also battle with the insurance company to get it covered) for his alleged ADD and he decided that he didn't want to take them anymore. So he quit cold turkey and for about month or so afterwards, he spent many a day saluting the porcelain gods while battling it.

    Hope you pull through the withdrawal process with flying colors.

    Father Nature's Corner

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  20. How awful, yikes. SO glad you had the support of your daughter. I guess you gotta take these things slowly. It sounds terrible.

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  21. Meds certainly can take you over n out of control- I hate them so much! But can't live without allergy pills anyhow... Glad you are ok!

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  22. I am so very sorry. I am a recovering drug addict....clean and sober 32 years. But it you boil it all down to quitting things, Stopping smoking was the worst of all. LOL

    You have my thoughts....hugs too.

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  23. Oh my gracious, Annie! What a terrible thing to go through... Not just the drug withdrawal, but all the pain. I hope things are getting better and better.

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  24. That is a horrible lesson to learn and I do feel for you. Let's hope the worst is
    over and - with the help of your great family onwards and upwards now.

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  25. Thanks for dropping by and wishing Ella a happy birthday. She enjoyed her days so much. I'm not sure if you know that I, after having lived in Florida all my life, have moved to Virginia to be near my children and to be near Ella. It's so nice to be just around the corner.

    I hope that you continue to recover well. I know it has been a long haul. Your post is an important one. It gives much insight. Thank you.

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